Sunday, February 23—Hockey, Church, Cycling, Arts, and a Party

Posted on February 24, 2014 by dunngone

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Sunday deserves an entry by itself, as it was jam packed with activities, beginning early in the morning, 6 AM, when Canada played Sweden for the gold medal in this winter’s Olympics. Both hockey and curling are huge sports in Canada, and this morning’s live broadcast via Canadian television was viewed by a palapa full of mostly Canadians in the Circle 3 palapa. A television and satellite receiver had been set up, and donuts and coffee were plentiful. Kay’s pecan pie muffins were a fabulous hit. We’re still working on the correct pronunciation of pecan—“pee can” or “pa con”; we tell folks from the midwest and Canada that pee can is under the bed! Kay and I watched the first half of the game, then got ready for church.

After church, Chuck Mercer and I did an 11 mile bicycle ride, and after returning to the resort for a bite of lunch, I rode another 19 miles:

Ride Time: 2:55:24

Stopped Time: 1:13:50

Distance: 30.35 miles

Average: 10.38 mph

Fastest Speed: 19.65 mph

Ascent: 318 feet

Descent: 410 feet

Calories: 2037

While I was riding, Kay exhibited her bowls and Swedish weaving piece in the Arts in the Park. She has become a very talented artist, and has a flare for design, particularly regarding segmented bowls.

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After an already busy morning, Circle 3 had their annual palapa cookout and party late in the afternoon. It didn’t appear to be as crowded as in previous years, perhaps because there are so many new people. We had lots of food and fun. Afterwards, Shar and Brian hosted karaoke for the rest of the evening. We left early because of the mosquitos, but could hear music until quiet hour. We watched the season 4 finale of Downton Abbey—a British soap opera of sorts, and one of our favorite television programs. There were a few holes in the plot which we either missed or were not present, so maybe reruns are in order.

Thursday through Saturday, February 20-22—The Storm Before the Calm

Posted on February 23, 2014 by dunngone

Wow, everyone is really packing the calendar with get-togethers, golf, arts and crafts, cycling, parties, etc. before folks begin pulling out in a week or so for home or their next stop. And, we seem to be right in the middle of it! With high winds again Thursday, Kay and I did a short bicycle ride into Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park next door, stopping along the way to look at birds at the Kiskadee Blind and Eagle Pond.

Ride Time: 29:16Stopped Time: 1:02:16Distance: 4.18 milesAverage: 8.57 mphFastest Speed: 10.09 mphAscent: 525 feetDescent: 384 feetCalories: 288

In the afternoon, Kay made her next to last visit to the hair dresser this season while I soaked in the spa. The “old” joints sure ache a lot after exercise! We played bridge in the evening; we both had decent cards, and are really enjoying playing.

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Friday provided a window of opportunity to travel to Mexico to experience the festive atmosphere, shop for a few meds, and eat lunch at Arturo’s. We have been extra cautious about going there this year because of State Department travel advisories, but were told things had calmed considerably. The streets of Progreso are much cleaner than the first time we traveled there in 2008, but there seem to be fewer people, though Kay thought there were more. They now have sales tax in the 15% neighborhood, and fewer people, including Mexican nationals, shop there now. We bought some “over the shelf” antibiotics for emergency use, real Mexican vanilla, flavored peanuts, and Kay bought a cowgirl hat for dancin’. Mexico doesn’t have the same appeal to us as it once did, and with the ever present possibility of border closing, and cartel attacks, there is some trepidation in spending time there. Consequently, we were in and out in just a couple of hours.

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After crossing back into the U.S., we drove to Harlingen to pick up the packet for the Jalapeño 100. The bicycle shop was having a sale, and I purchased a couple of the colorful riding tops. We stopped at Costco’s briefly for gasoline, and made it back in time for happy hour at the palapa. Our weekly entertainment was a Canadian singer and songwriter—his name escapes me—who was quite good and personable; the entertainment this year, for the most part, has been better than in the past. Hope the trend continues for next year.

I was scheduled to ride in the Jalapeño 100 in Harlingen Saturday, but the forecast for 15+ mph winds directly in one’s face on the return leg of the ride was too ominous. Consequently, I did not ride, and we had a quiet day and evening, one of the few we’ve had in the last few weeks. Kay did laundry, I prepared sides and baked beans for the annual Circle 3 palapa party, and Kay baked pecan pie muffins for the Canada-Sweden Olympic gold medal hockey game on Sunday.

Monday through Wednesday, February 17-19—Spring Has Sprung

Posted on February 20, 2014 by dunngone

It sure looks like winter is over here in the Rio Grande Valley. Trees have new leaves, shrubs are blooming, the wind is blowing, and temperatures have warmed to the 80s and even 90s. (Note: Though we don’t typically have frost, trees do lose leaves during an unseasonably cold period, i.e. low 40s for a day or two.) This weather “change” means more outdoor activities and pool and spa time, and allergies! As Kay walked over to exercise at the Activities Center Monday morning, Al and I departed to Harlingen Country Club for golf. Because it was Presidents’ Day, the course was packed, and our 10:10 AM tee time got pushed back to past 11 AM. Consequently, we didn’t finish until after 3 PM. Al had a great game and low score, and I hit the ball well, but missed some fairly short putts—anyway, it was lots of fun despite the 20+ mph winds. We made it back to join the palapa happy hour in progress.

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Despite a moderate wind, I rode Tuesday morning, east to Anzulduas Park on the Rio Grande River, and back to the resort. Here’s a photo of the river and lake formed by Anzulduas Dam, and Mexico across the water. Thankfully, I rode into the wind on the first leg of the trip when energy levels were highest; here are ride statistics:

Ride Time: 2:10:58

Stopped Time: 19:57

Distance: 22.11 miles

Average: 10.13 mph

Fastest Speed: 20.11 mph

Ascent: 299 feet

Descent: 341 feet

Calories: 1531

Kay and the “girls” from “Circle 3” in the resort went for a massage, followed by lunch at Country Village Cafe at 10th and Nolana in McAllen. As one can imagine, it is a tough life down here, and though our young minds tell us it is okay, we do try to pack too many activities into our 60+ year-old bodies. Consequently, we both enjoyed the pool and spa in the afternoon, aided by temps in the 80s. Happy hour at the palapa was well attended; this year we have had a full palapa most afternoons, and this differs from previous years. And despite having several new RVs in the circle, and 3 singles (one whose husband is working in Saudi, another who is a recent widower, and the third a recent widow), the well-attended happy hour is reflective of the profound friendships among Winter Texans.

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The BPVRV Resort CanAm golf tournament was Wednesday, and it’s a big deal. Folks from both sides dress in national colors, put flags and buntings on their golf carts, etc. As luck would have it, Al and I were in the same foursome, but on opposite sides. Al is the Canadian dress with the top hat and cape. We both played terrible, but had lots of fun. For the $5 entrance fee, we had a Sloppy Joe sandwich lunch, and most people won door prizes—in my case, a sleeve of golf balls. This year the Canadians had the Americans outnumbered. The winner was announced at Margarita Hour later in the afternoon, and the Americans retained the trophy. It sure looks like winter is over here in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Thursday through Sunday, February 13-16—Trying to Get It All In

Posted on February 17, 2014 by dunngone

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With only a couple of weeks left for some, and a month for most of the rest of us, a lot of activities are being packed into the remaining time. However, no planned daytime activities were scheduled for Thursday, and Kay and I suited up for a short bicycle ride, waiting until the cool early morning had warmed somewhat before beginning. We rode our usual route to the Mission Nature Park pavilion, then rode the “Roadrunner” trail—Kay had ridden it earlier this year, but it was my first time to ride it since early December. Wet conditions, combined with US Customs and Border Patrol activity resulted in significant mud clods being left on the trail, and the road bike is not equipped to handle the sometimes very rough surface. Nevertheless, Kay and I picked our way carefully; we did not see a Roadrunner on the cutoff part of the trail, so we rode the longer loop, and sure enough, spotted one of the birds on the side of the trail—it never fails!

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Here are statistics for our morning ride.

Ride Time: 1:22:22

Stopped Time: 21:12

Distance: 10.96 miles

Average: 7.98 mph

Fastest Speed: 13.29 mph

Ascent: 184 feet

Descent: 138 feet

Calories: 777

After a late light breakfast and brief rest, Van stopped by inquiring about a ride, and we left on a long ride at 1 PM. He’s in such good riding shape, and rode me into the ground. Some 36 miles later, we arrived back at the RV resort, and I headed immediately to the hot tub for a soak to relieve the butt soreness and fatigue from riding a total of 47 miles. Here are statistics for the afternoon ride.

Ride Time: 3:05:30

Stopped Time: 1:08:14

Distance: 35.97 miles

Average: 11.63 mph

Fastest Speed: 20.79 mph

Ascent: 351 feet

Descent: 358 feet

Calories: 2450

With a good soak, followed by a shave and shower, Kay drug me to the Valentine’s Dance. It was sparsely attended, and once again there is a silent but present conflict between the line dancers and the regular dancers. It would not be much of an issue if the dance floor were big enough but it is not, and the line dancers took up all the floor. Several couples left early, and Kay and I were not far behind. Regretfully, there will be hard feelings at some point in the future as both sides seem unwilling to compromise sufficiently to allow peaceful existence of both.

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Nothing was scheduled at all for Friday, Valentines Day. We exchanged cards and enjoyed a lazy morning, after which I sprayed with insect repellent and rode to the National Butterfly Center. There were a few butterflies, but not many. I did see a Pipevine Swallowtail, the first of the year, a few Monarchs, Queens, and others. There were birds feeding at the feeding station, but better photo opportunities had presented themselves at the Kiskadee blind earlier in the month. Back at the RV resort, Kay and I spent a couple of hours at the pool and spa, absorbing the almost forgotten sunshine. With no entertainment scheduled for tonight, we spent a leisurely happy hour at the palapa before retiring to the motorhome for the evening. There are several RVs here equipped to generate their own power, either via solar or wind, or a combination of both. Here’s a photo of a couple RVs so equipped.

Fog greeted us Saturday morning, and we had a full list of possible things to do. Kay’s priority was to pick up a custom metal sign with out first names and state of permanent residence to display on our RV site. We haven’t been able to connect with Jim and Cheryl this season, and Kay sent a text message asking about their availability for lunch. Apparently there is a glitch in the process, so “Jim and Cheryl, if y’all read this, we’d like to get together before the season ends.” With no lunch plans I suited up for a long ride while Kay drove to near Progresso to pick up the sign. 140213 E 003

I survived only 18+ miles before the wind/tiredness/butt fatigue settled in.

Ride Time: 1:42:31

Stopped Time: 10:43

Distance: 18.78 miles

Average: 10.99 mph

Fastest Speed: 18.17 mph

Ascent: 259 feet

Descent: 203 feet

Calories: 1267

When Kay returned, we both enjoyed the pool and spa for a couple of hours. I spent the rest of the afternoon at Palmview Golf Course, hitting a large bucket of balls. If I could just slow the swing, keep the head down, position the ball correctly, assume the right grip and stance, etc., etc. Happy hour was underway when I returned, and after visiting for an hour or so, we walked to the Club House for the weekly entertainment, Roland Garcia, Jr. He began playing with his dad, Country Roland (Roland Garcia) at the age of 11; Country Roland was the innovator of Chicano country music—a mix of country songs in Spanish and classic Mexican songs with a new influence. Country Roland, Jr. carries on that tradition and plays great country music, mostly for joints and outdoor bars, and is fun to dance to; we also like to listen to him sing with his band accompanying him. After the late show, we returned to see a fire in the circle fire pit, and Kay joined the group around the fire while I went to bed.

The annual Circle 3 Waffle Breakfast was on Sunday morning. Ron and Cheryl Lowe, from Ontario, hosts this event, making waffles for any and all who come. Two other waffle makers joined them in keeping the waffles coming. Most who came brought side dishes and accompaniments including fruit, sausage, ham, bacon, pastries, syrups, etc.; Kay and I took 21/2 pounds of fried bacon.

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The palapa was crowded with breakfast diners, and no one left hungry! Kay made the 11 AM worship service, but I remained home. Today, a speaker from the Gideons spoke. The Gideon program is a valuable program, but I have heard them speak countless times both here and in Arkansas, so I was not too disappointed in missing the service. A short nap during the noon hour was followed by reading the Sunday Monitor, the daily newspaper in the RGV; we still consider it one of life’s pleasures to leisurely read the Sunday paper. Kay went to the BPVRV resort river palapa , on the banks of the Rio Grande River, where the Activities team served hot dogs and brats. It seems like a lot of the activities here, particularly in January and February, focus on eating and/or drinking, and neither is very healthy; consequently, I try to avoid them as best as willpower will allow!

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Monday through Wednesday, February 10-12—Warm then Cold then Moderate, Same Old Pattern

Posted on February 13, 2014 by dunngone

We had a great day for golf at Cimmaron Country Club in McAllen Monday. While I was golfing, Kay grocery shopped, and prepared enough food to feed an army. We’ll eat well this week, not that we ever don’t eat well. When I returned from golf, Kay was at the pool/spa soaking in the sunshine during an 80° afternoon. I joined her in the spa for a good soak, and we returned to the RV for an early dinner, finishing up the evening playing bridge with Sharon and Al. Though we both got decent hands most of the evening, we never really got them at the same time, and our hands didn’t ever complement one another. Fortunately, neither of us take bridge so seriously that we get upset with bad hands/scores.

Winds Monday night ushered in yet another cold front, and temperatures continued to drop throughout the night; highs on Tuesday were in the low 40s, really cold for the RGV. When combined with the light rain, it was not fit for any outdoor activities. We ended up going to an early movie with Al, Sharon, Chuck, and Sue to see Monuments Men. It was a decent movie with a great story. Afterward we had late lunch/early dinner at Mr. Gatti’s, a pizza buffet. The price was right, and it’s a good place to eat once each winter season. And to complete a busy inclement weather day, we attended a dance at Green Gate Grove RV Resort as guests of Wayne and Bessie Nickerson from Nova Scotia. Jealous Heart, the band that plays at the Riverside Club on Sunday afternoons, played, and the dance floor was packed. Kay says we rocked with our Texas Two Steppin’ and Waltzin’—and along with Wayne and Bessie, we were among the youngest couples there.

Kay committed to substitute bowl Wednesday morning, and with temperatures still in the 40s, I walked to the Bentsen Rio Grande State Park. As I walked to the blind, it became apparent that this was the annual Bicycle and Birding day, with a couple hundred senior cyclists mobilizing for a morning’s ride. Nevertheless, the Kiskadee blind was empty, and upon entering and closing openings left by former observers, I heard growling and snorting from just beyond the feeding area, and a look through the binoculars revealed at least two Javelinas. As I settled in, unpacking the camera and 150-500 mm lens, installing the lens shade, focusing binoculars, and getting the coffee out of the backpack, a Javelina came from beyond where the others were bedded down, and ate bird seed that had fallen from the feeder. It left, and another came to do the same thing. After it left another came and was joined with a fourth. Only one appeared to be a juvenile, but who knows? Prior to the RGV Flood of 2010, there were about a dozen Javelinas in the park and they were unconcerned with humans walking about. However, the flood displaced them, and the “new” ones came over from Mexico, and are quite skittish, running off at the slightest sound or movement. After the Javelinas left, a volunteer came by and filled the empty feeders. It took a few minutes for the birds to appear, and a few came in, though certainly not in the numbers witnessed there the last several weeks. The voices and other noises from all the cyclists proved too much and I left after only a couple of hours. Mr. Gatti’s food caught up with me by the time I arrived back at the RV, necessitating I stay close by! Kay came in after lunch, excited about bowling her best ever, and improving every game. We both attended the short palapa happy hour and she went to the Margarita night party. We spent the rest of the quiet evening watching the Americans falter once again in the Olympic events.

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Friday through Sunday, February 7-9—Miscellaneous Happenings and Derby Day

Posted on February 10, 2014 by dunngone

Early to bed, early to rise—2:30 AM was wake-up hour Friday morning! At least the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Baxter Bulletin were ready to download and read, and the early hour provided time to continue work on The BOOK, an autobiography with emphasis on fly fishing, and including a section on favorite fly patterns and recipes. A very rough draft of the section on fly patterns and recipes was emailed to John Simank for his use in tying some of the patterns; however, John is an incredible fly tier in his own right, and has created countless patterns which are real “killers”. He has given permission to include these in The BOOK, so more to come. We were off early to Kay’sendodontist, and at 8 AM it was 33°, the coldest temperature we’ve ever seen in the RGV. The root canal took about an hour, and the endodontist believes he saved the tooth—yea! Kay was really impressed with him, his office, etc. At my insistence, she went to bed when we arrived back at the RV, and after the numbness wore off, felt fine, even chewing food on that side of her mouth. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that the tooth’s integrity remains intact for many, many years. I rushed off to the BPVRV Resort Photography Club meeting, and it was packed. Joe, a BPVRV Resort resident and retired photojournalist, gave a presentation on telling a story with photographs. He was very good, and quite demonstrative. The cool, wet weather persisted through the afternoon, and was not fit for bicycling without follow-up washing, drying, and oiling the bike, a chore not being looked forward to. Consequently, I did not ride. Rather, I spent the afternoon downloading Keynote, an Apple application similar to PowerPoint, but not having as much capability. Because of the different keystrokes, file management, etc., it was a bit cumbersome to learn, but what the heck. Our entertainment Friday evening was Doug and Daphne, a duo from Nashville. He played guitar for Barbara Mandrell and she sang backup for the traveling Gaither show. He was the best instrumentalist we’ve seen in the RGV and she was the best vocalist. Together, they put on a great show, and we’ll vote for them as “Duo of the Year.”

Still unseasonably cool, no bicycle ride occurred Saturday morning. Our weather here has been cool then warm, windy then calm, etc., and fitting in a bike ride among other activities and decent weather has proved challenging. That’s not a big problem except for the Jalapeño 100 coming up on February 22; will the legs and butt be in shape? While I waited on warm temperatures for riding, Kay drove to near Progresso to check on a yard sign (which wasn’t ready), then to Costco, and back to the RV. Temperatures didn’t moderate until mid-afternoon, and by then it was too late to ride any significant distance. Happy hour at the palapa was packed as most came out of their RVs after several days of cool/cold weather. Kay watched the Olympics Saturday evening, while I caught up on sleep!

140209 P 005 Derby Day at BPVRV Resort was on Sunday. After church, we returned to the RV to read the newspaper, and rest briefly before attending and participating in Derby Day. This is a fun activity, complete with mint juleps, wagers, colorful hats, etc. Kay was an entrant in the first race, after which she donned her Derby hat. I assisted in preparing mint juleps, though I’ve never drunk one (and still haven’t)! If only our kids and grandkids could see us at Derby Day! Oh well, it’s something to do.

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We enjoyed another good crowd at the palapa, and Kay again watched the Olympics. (NOTE: I do not watch the JUDGED events in the Olympics because of the political nature of the judging, and the tremendous bias introduced by some countries or bloc of countries, generally disfavoring the US. I believe it is unjust and unfair to the amateur athletes who give up a lot of their youth to train and participate. Just my opinion!) Here are a few photos of Derby Day.

Wednesday and Thursday, February 5-6—Yet Another Cold Front

Posted on February 7, 2014 by dunngone

Wednesday means golf at Meadow Creek, and we were anticipating a great golf day. However, the forecast never panned out, and it was cool and quite breezy as yet another cold front is moving into the RGV. Al had a great game, and I enjoyed some good holes and suffered through some bad ones. A couple of the negatives about playing golf this winter has been either really slow play or the group behind us hitting into us—perhaps there is no happy medium—and both of these get to me psychologically. Regardless, I am really enjoying playing golf, and Al is a great golfing partner. Kay agreed to model at the annual Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort Women’s Luncheon and Fashion Show, and the clothes were from one of her favorite shops here in the RGV, Well’s of Westlaco. The luncheon was well attended, and all the women had a great time. With cool weather moving in, no one was at the palapa for our afternoon gathering, but the Club House was packed for Margarita Hour. (Cool weather to us—temps in the 40s— is VERY COLD for locals here in the valley, and since we have been spending parts or all of winters here 5 out of the last 7 years, we find the temps to be cold as well. This has been the coldest winter anyone down here can remember. However, we know folks back home and points further north are really cold and we don’t want to rub it in!) After Margarita Hour, we went to Wallbanger’s for a burger and salad; it was our first time to eat there and the food was really good. A large salad and 2 huge hamburger sliders cost less than $9 and was plenty of food for the both of us—we’ll know next time as Kay and I both ordered a salad this time.

It was cold, wet, breezy, and gloomy Thursday morning as we awoke, with temperatures hovering around 40°. This weather pattern, and temperature, remained all day. After a hearty breakfast, I dressed in 4 layers, donned the backpack with binoculars and camera with 150-500 mm zoom lens, walked to Bentsen Rio Grande State Park, registered and picked up the entrance “bracelet”, and walked the remaining mile or so to the Kiskadee blind in the woods. There was already another hardy person there, a young man from Wisconsin who flew to the RGV for a few days to “bird”. After a few pleasantries, we both concentrated on the birds who were readily posing for photos. The weather was such that the birds came in for feeding often, and would remain relatively still. Another gentleman, from Charlottesville, VA, came into the blind about mid-morning, and was lucky enough to immediately see most of the species of birds feeding in the area. The overcast skies and long lens required raising the ISO to 2000 in order to get a decent shutter speed with the 500 mm lens setting, and allowed getting some good shots of the Orange-crested Warbler, the Yellow-rumped Warbler, and of course the Altimira Oriole, Great Kiskadee, and the somewhat rare Black-headed Grosbeak. One of the unusual things that occurred today was the swooping entrance of almost a dozen Great Kiskadees, occupying several branches, feeders, etc. One didn’t have a tail, and had difficulty hovering around the suet feeder. After 3 hours of sitting in the cold and drinking a couple thermos’ of coffee, I loaded up all the stuff and headed back into the cold and light rain for a short walk to an open area for a photo of the Vermillion Flycatcher. Finally spotting it flying near and landing on a large tree, I crept close enough to flush it to another smaller tree, and another, etc. It looked bedraggled after having spent the morning in the rain chasing the “few and far between” insects. After a long walk back to the motorhome, Kay greeted me at the door and had a great hearty skillet dinner ready for our main meal of the day. As I downloaded photos, she went to the Crafts Room for Swedish weaving, and then to the Club House to work on hats for Derby Days. Oh, there is so much going on around here, even on rainy days. After working on the photos for an hour or so, I walked to Brian and Shar’s to practice Karaoke, then back to the motorhome for more work on photos. Being cooped up in the small confines was relieved by a phone call and great conversation with close friend, John Simank, and our discussion of fly fishing got me all pumped up for the upcoming caddis hatch in late March—are you ready, Ed? Late in the afternoon a knock on the door from the UPS driver indicated that the new Tailgater satellite dish had arrived, and during the evening newscast, it was connected and worked flawlessly—umm! We’ll try to salvage the old one, and perhaps resell it, either as a repaired unit or a salvage unit. Kay picked up the mail, and a new 1 TB external hard drive had been delivered; we quickly unpackaged it, connected it to Kay’s computer, and began the lengthy process of backing-up all her data, a long overdue task. She played bridge in the evening, and I enjoyed a short, quiet time at the RV before going to bed at 8 PM.

The photos below show, in order, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Greater Kiskadee, Black-headed Grosbeak, Altimira Oriole, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and a Vermillion Flycatcher, all taken today, Thursday.

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Sunday through Tuesday, February 2-4—Uphill and Against the Wind

Posted on February 5, 2014 by dunngone

Church this Sunday morning was lengthy, as it was communion Sunday, and the service before ours was late as was ours. Back at the motorhome, I quickly changed into cycling clothes and was off on a “serious” ride while Kay hung around the place and worked on Swedish weaving. The cycling experience was a mixed bag—the first 15 miles were quite pleasant, but then the 30-35 mph winds hit, and the remaining 20 miles were a challenge—temperatures plunged 17 degrees during the ride! It seems like anytime one cycles it is always uphill and into the wind. My knees hurt so bad from all the pedaling against the wind that after a couple of Tylenol, we went immediately to the hot tub for a long soak, and the combination of pain relief and warm, bubbling water did the trick. Here are the ride statistics:

Ride Time: 3:03:23

Stopped Time: 34:48

Distance: 35.39 miles

Average: 11.58 mph

Fastest Speed: 20.42 mph

Ascent: 358 feet

Descent: 381 feet

Calories: 2466

We went to the Burger Bash at the Activities Center for a Superbowl meal of burger, beans, potato salad, and chips, and returned to the motorhome for Kay to watch Denver get drubbed while I worked on the Tailgater—it seems like another motor has seized, and the other one King Controls sent has the wrong electrical connection—we can’t seem to get a break, and are beginning to wonder if HD satellite television is worth it. One of the first items on the agenda when we return home it to consult with Wayne on the possible repair of the motors!

Monday morning began with golf at the Harlingen Country Club. Because of the seasonally cool weather, the parking lot was practically empty, and Al and I were able to tee off immediately. Al had a great back nine, shooting in the low 40s, and while I hit the ball well, the score did not reflect it—the putting was horrendous! While I played, Kay did laundry and other household chores, and took a “girl” trip to old McAllen to shop for hats and hat decorations for Derby Day. After a quiet afternoon, we accompanied Al and Sharon to the Tilted Kilt. We were surrounded by televisions of all shapes and sizes, and scantily clad waitresses. The food was good, but once a year to go there is enough.

I attended the Snowbird Extravaganza with Al and Sharon on Tuesday morning. The Extravaganza is a venue for Canadians spending the winter in the US, sponsored by the Canadian Snowbird Association. The Canadian Snowbird Association is a lobbying entity for Canadian snowbirds, lobbying the Canadian provincial and national governments, and the US Senate and House of Representatives. Without getting into a lengthy discussion, the amount of time Canadians are allowed to spend in the US is constrained by the US government and by Canadian federal and provincial insurance providers. Having stated that, the Snowbird Extravaganza is primarily sponsored by Medipac Travel Insurance, a Canadian provider of insurance for Canadians “visiting” the US—enough said. Anyway, the Extravaganza featured world-class entertainment by Canadian entertainers. We heard Tom Leadbeater sing the national anthems of both the US and Canada, Comedienne Jimmy Flynn, and country-western singer Michelle Wright. Michelle Wright has had a number of No. 1 hits in Canada and a Top Ten hit in the US (Take it Like a Man, 1992). She has a deep, throaty voice similar to Anne Murray, but can hit the high notes as well. And, she performed without her band or any tracts, a brave feat for any artist of renown. If you haven’t heard her and like country=western music, you owe it to yourself to listen to one of her songs. The Extravaganza was packed with Canadians, who as a group, spend over $300 million in Texas every winter! Kay finished her bowl, and it’s the best yet. It’s the largest of the three she’s made—about 12 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep on the inside. It is a segmented bowl, comprised of walnut with Canadian maple vertical stripes. Here’s a photo of all three—the newest one is on the left.

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She “visited” the endodontist for a consultation regarding a possible root canal on Friday. He believed he could save the tooth that’s been bothering her, and committed to return some of the very high cost should the surgery fail, subject to a fax from our dentist at home regarding a failure—we are hopeful the surgery will work. We played bridge with Al and Sharon in the evening, and both of us were dealt good cards all evening—it sure makes playing bridge more fun, as I’ve been dealt terrible hands most of the season, and been forced to play a poor defense!

Thursday through Saturday, January 30 through February 1—Too Windy for Cycling

Posted on February 2, 2014 by dunngone

With a change to warmer temperatures, the wind increased Thursday morning and is blowing at about 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, making bike riding too challenging unless your riding with the wind! Kay returned to the shop to work on her second bowl of the season, and I walked to the Bentsen Rio Grande State Park. This has been a “go to” place when the weather is unfit for other outside activities, and the Kiskadee Blind has proved to provide a great location for photographing birds, including this Black-headed Grosbeak and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

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After a couple of hours, I returned to the motorhome for lunch, then rode, against the wind, to the National Butterfly Center, the first trip since before Christmas, while Kay went shopping, including groceries. With the previous days’ cold, the butterflies were far and few between (Gulf Fritillary shown below), and the bird feeding station appeared to have been ignored as there were only sparrows there, and no sign of a hawk or other bird of prey. Actually, I was a bit disappointed in the state of the National Butterfly Center because it was in such great shape before Christmas; wonder if something is going on?

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We played bridge in the evening, and both of us had weird hands a weird partner in the course of the games—enough said, except that it is much more fun playing with Al and Sharon.

Friday morning dawned with continuing high winds, but Al and I kept our plans to play golf, at McAllen, Texas, public golf course, Palm View. The course was in great shape, but had water hazards on most holes. I played worse than Al, but we both played really badly—our poorest outing for the year, in fact! Kay cleaned the motorhome, and then drove to Well’s Fashions in Weslaco to try on apparel for the BPVRV Resort charity fashion show, and managed to use most of her Christmas gift card in the process for some items just put on sale. Well’s is a very popular woman’s store here in the RGV, and is always crowded. She stopped by Costco’s on the way home and purchased a birthday cake for our friend, Sharon, who is celebrating a birthday today, along with our friend at home, Carolyn Todd (happy birthday, Carolyn). The chocolate cake had over two pounds of chocolate mousse in the center. Afterwards, we went to the late show at the Activities Center to watch Wade Landry and his wife, Teresa Bowe Landry, perform. They were great, even better than last year, and well worth the $6 per person tickets.

Kay slept really late Saturday morning (past 8 AM, but before 9 AM), and the quiet time provided an opportunity to “balance” the books since it was the first of the month. We do virtually all of our banking and business transactions via the internet, and have most of our bills scheduled to be paid automatically the first of the month, in concert with our pension deposits, and we update the around the middle of the month when the bank statement and a couple of major credit card statements are issued. It keeps life much simpler. Kay went to the wood shop to continue work on her bowl, completing sanding and buffing, and adding the first coat of finish. I peaked at it on the way to Bentsen Rio Grande State Park, and it is very, very nice! She has become quite an artisan. The mosquitos were out in hoards today, but the Kiskadee blind in the birding park proved an excellent sanctuary for watching and photographing birds, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. A couple came in about mid-morning, and we all saw the Black-headed Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting, the two most uncommon birds today. Neighbor Lorna came in a bit later, and we all enjoyed talking about various birding trips, and then Dottie came in, the couple left, and Lorna, Dottie, and I had a grand time watching and photographing birds. Shown below are the Orange-crowned Warbler, Altimira Oriole, and female Indigo Bunting.

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Lorna and I left shortly before 12 noon to attend a show at the Rhinestone Opry with others from Circle 3 in BPVRV Resort. The show was very amateurish, lacked preparation, particularly with respect to sound levels and equipment, and had a couple of very poor performers, not even as good as most jam sessions at home. We’re glad we went as we had wondered what it was all about, but won’t go again. Four Plus One would have been a real step up for the poorly attended show. Back at the resort, we visited the happy hour briefly, and returned to the motorhome. I worked on photographs and this blog entry, while Kay played card bingo; though she was feeling lucky, she didn’t win!

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Monthly Archives: February 2014